To my right, Cal murmurs my name. I put the gun away. We’re in the middle of our street. Not that I give a fuck, but I get his point. As I slide it into the waistband of my pants, Leon moves the slightest bit. In a split second, I have my hand wrapped around his throat, his body pressed against the tree that grows near the sidewalk.
“I’m going to ask you one more time?—”
“Let him go,” Molly says, words slicing into me as triumph leaps in the asshole’s eyes. “I texted him.”
“Doesn’t really make me want to let him live, Molly,” I bite out.
Her hand touches my arm, burning into my flesh. “I wanted to know about Dad, to see if he found anything out. That’s all.”
I glare at Leon. He doesn’t have a damn thing, that much I’m sure of. I’m a master bullshitter, and I can spot it on someone else a mile away.
This guy has nothing. He showed up here for something else.
“You’re not married,” the guy chokes out, voice thinning a little. I squeeze a little harder to cut off his oxygen.
I don’t even look at Marlowe. I can forgive spoiled, forgive her for jumping to conclusions about me that I don’t feel inclined to set straight.
Heat claws up the sides of my throat. Thisgobshitecould try to fight me. He could have a gun, could take a chance with it.
He doesn’t. Maybe he’s trying to win points with me, or with Marlowe.
But I don’t play those games.
“We’re married. Biblically.” I lean in close, squeezing a little harder for a moment longer. He claws at my hand, sputtering, eyes bulging in the sockets. “So how long have you been a member of the Cinco Cartel?”
“I-I’m not?—”
“Then why else would you lure Marlowe to Queens? You’re cartel, that’s clear.”
I loosen my hand a little just in time for Seamus’s motorcycle to pull up. His wife Ava gets off the back and removes her helmet. She and my brother take in the scene.Without a word, she walks over to us, slides a hand under Molly’s elbow, and guides her inside the house.
Cal lights a cigarette, moving into the light along with Torin. Leon’s temperature changes under my hand when he sees my brothers surrounding him.
The four of us together is a scary sight, and I don’t blame Leon for the flash of fear.
Doesn’t mean I won’t use it against him, though.
My lips curl upward. “I think he knows more than he’s saying.”
Callahan blows out a stream of smoke.
Torin doesn’t say a word.
They let me take the lead.
“Why were you there that night? Which cartel are you part of? And who were you trying to kill?” I ask.
His eyes bug out, especially when Seamus opens the garage, revealing a world of excruciating pain if we choose to drag him into that darkness.
We don’t fuck up people on our home turf unless they deserve it. Unless they touch one of ours.
“Y’might want to answer Declan right about now,” Seamus says as he puts his helmet away. The two people walking down our street take one look at us and cross the road.
Our neighbors are aware that this street is remarkably crime free, quiet, and respectful since nobody in their fucking right mind would mess with us.
Leon realizes at that second he’s on his own.
“He’s a real wild card, our Dec. We’ve tried to tame him, but…” Seamus sighs.
